"PUSHED FOR ENACTMENT OF KEY LEGISLATION"

KENNEDY-JOHNSON CALL FOR TEMPORARY HALT TO CAMPAIGN UNTIL AFTER RESUMED SESSION OF CONGRESS

Hyannis Port, Massachusetts (JFK+50) On July 31, 1960, Associated Press reports that Senator John F. Kennedy, Democratic presidential nominee, "pushed (yesterday) for enactment of key legislation at the resumed session of Congress August 8 and said he will put off his active campaigning until afterward."

The Senator appeared yesterday in a joint news conference with Senator Lyndon B. Johnson (D-Texas), his vice-presidential running mate held at the beachfront home of Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr. here in Hyannis Port.

JFK+50 NOTE

The key legislation referred to included medical care for the aged, housing, aid to education, mutual security appropriations and the minimum wage. 

Speaking in Chicago on the same day, Republican presidential nominee Vice-President Richard M. Nixon said he has plans to develop a massive program for dealing with the farm problem.

SOURCE

"Nixon Tackles Farm Aid; Kennedy Puts Senate First," The Sunday Star, Washington, D.C., July 31, 1960, Chronicling America, Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/

 

 

The Kennedy Compound

2021

Photo by Interstellarity

CC BY-SA 4.0

"TO PROTECT PUBLIC FROM UNSAFE INVESTMENTS"

JOE KENNEDY APPOINTED TO SERVE ON SECURITIES & EXCHANGE COMMISSION 

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) On June 30, 1934, President Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed Joseph Patrick Kennedy, Sr.* to serve on the newly created Securities and Exchange Commission**.

The SEC, a bi-partisan agency, was designed to protect the American public from investing in unsafe securities and to regulate the Stock Market.

*Joseph Patrick Kennedy Sr. (1888-1969) was born in Boston, Massachusetts & graduated from Harvard University.  JPK was president of the Columbia Trust Bank & served as 1st chairman of the SEC, 1st chairman of the U.S. Maritime Commission & U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom.

**S.E.C. was created in the aftermath of the disastrous Wall Street crash of 1929.  The agency has grown to around 5000 employees & is headquartered in Washington, D.C.   

SOURCE

"FDR appoints Joe Kennedy Sr. to SEC," JFK+50, June 30, 2011, www.jfk50.blogspot.com/ 

 

 

Time Magazine

July 22 1935

by FINLAY

'THE STROKE LEFT JOE KENNEDY SR. PARALYZED"

JFK'S FATHER SUFFERS INTRACRANIAL THROMBOSIS

Palm Beach, Florida (JFK+50) On December 19, 1961, Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr., father of President John F. Kennedy, suffered a massive stroke here in Palm Beach.  The elder Kennedy was rushed to St. Mary's Hospital where the stroke was diagnosed.

The 73 year old former Ambassador to the Court of St. James was on the golf course at the time he was stricken. David Nasaw writes...

"Joseph P. Kennedy had suffered an 'intracranial thrombosis,' a blood clot in the artery in the brain, which had triggered a massive stroke.  The clot was inoperable."

The stroke left Joe Sr. paralyzed on the right side of his body and  limited his speech to the single long, drawn out word "Nooooooooo."

The Ambassador was discharged from the hospital on January 8, 1962..."with no improvement in his paralysis" or ability to speak.  Despite being unable to talk, however, Joe Sr. "appeared to understand everything that was said to him (and) everything he heard or saw."

SOURCES

"Ambassador In Spite of Himself." by Thomas Mallen, December 31, 2000
"New York times On the Web"

"Joseph P. Kennedy: A Portrait of the Founder," by Richard J. Whalan, Fortune Classics, 1963.

"The Patriarch:  The Remarkable Life and Turbulent Times of Joseph P. Kennedy," by David Nasaw, The Penguin Press, New York, 2012.

                   Joe Sr.'s Birthday
                       Hyannis Port
                  September 7, 1963
      Photo by Cecil W. Stoughton
                 JFK Library Photo


JFK+50 COMMENT:

I had an intern from Morristown, Tennessee whose neighbor was visiting St. Mary's Hospital on one of the occasions when JFK came to see his dad.
The lady was outside the door of the hospital when JFK walked out.  She asked him if she could take a snapshot of him.

JFK graciously agreed and she made the photo, but later realized she
had no film in her camera.  The next day when she went back to the hospital with her camera loaded with film and again as the President was leaving, she explained what had happened and asked to take another picture.

My intern made this copy of that photograph for me.  

              JFK at St. Mary's Hospital
                    Palm Beach, Florida 
                          December 1961

TRIGGERED BY A BLOOD CLOT IN THE BRAIN

JOE KENNEDY'S STROKE LEAVES HIM PERMANENTLY PARALYZED 

Palm Beach, Florida (JFK+50) On December 19, 1961, Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr., father of President John F. Kennedy, suffered a massive stroke here in Palm Beach.  The 73 year old former ambassador to the Court of St. James was rushed to St. Mary's Hospital where the stroke was diagnosed.

David Nasaw writes in "The Patriarch,"

"Joseph P. Kennedy had suffered an 'intracranial thrombosis,' a blood clot in the artery in the brain, which had triggered a massive stroke.  The clot was inoperable."

The stroke left Joe Sr. paralyzed on the right side of his body and  limited his speech to the single long, drawn out word "Nooooooooo."

Nasaw tells us that JPK was discharged from the hospital on January 8, 1962..."with no improvement in his paralysis" or ability to speak.  Despite being unable to talk, however, Joe Sr. "appeared to understand everything that was said to him (and) everything he heard or saw."

SOURCES

"Ambassador In Spite of Himself." by Thomas Mallen, December 31, 2000

"New York times On the Web"

"Joseph P. Kennedy: A Portrait of the Founder," by Richard J. Whalan, Fortune Classics, 1963.

"The Patriarch:  The Remarkable Life and Turbulent Times of Joseph P. Kennedy," by David Nasaw, The Penguin Press, New York, 2012.

JFK at St. Mary's Hospital

Palm Beach, Florida

December 1961

JOE KENNEDY SR. HAS STROKE

JFK+50:  Volume 6, No. 1802

PRESIDENT'S FATHER SUFFERS MASSIVE STROKE IN PALM BEACH 

Palm Beach, Florida (JFK+50) Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr., father of President John F. Kennedy, suffered a massive stroke here in Palm Beach fifty-four years ago today, December 19, 1961.  The 73 year old former ambassador to the Court of St. James was rushed to St. Mary's Hospital where the stroke was diagnosed.

David Nasaw writes in "The Patriarch,"

"Joseph P. Kennedy had suffered an 'intracranial thrombosis,' a blood clot in the artery in the brain, which had triggered a massive stroke.  The clot was inoperable."

The stroke left Joe Sr. paralyzed on the right side of his body and  limited his speech to the single long, drawn out word "Nooooooooo."

Nasaw tells us that JPK was discharged from the hospital on January 8, 1962..."with no improvement in his paralysis" or ability to speak.  Despite being unable to talk, however, Joe Sr. "appeared to understand everything that was said to him (and) everything he heard or saw."

The Patriarch passed away at the age of 81 on November 18, 1969.  He had outlived four of his nine children and lived days short of six years longer than JFK.

David Nasaw concludes his work on Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr. with these words...

"(Joe, Sr) died peacefully in the place he loved more than any other, at Hyannis Port."

SOURCES

"Ambassador In Spite of Himself." by Thomas Mallen, December 31, 2000
"New York times On the Web"

"Joseph P. Kennedy: A Portrait of the Founder," by Richard J. Whalan, Fortune Classics, 1963.

"The Patriarch:  The Remarkable Life and Turbulent Times of Joseph P. Kennedy," by David Nasaw, The Penguin Press, New York, 2012.

Joe Sr.'s Birthday

Hyannis Port

 September 7, 1063

 Photo by Cecil W. Stoughton

 JFK Library Photo

USA TODAY REVIEWS NEW BOOK ON JOESPH P. KENNEDY, SR.

November  15, 2012

USA TODAY REVIEWS NEW BOOK ON JOSEPH P. KENNEDY, SR.

Nashville, Tennessee* (JFK+50) USA Today published a review today on a new book by David Nasaw titled "The Patriarch: The Remarkable Life and Turbulent Times of Joseph P. Kennedy."

The book, published by The Penguin Press, is rated 4 stars by Deirdre Donahue of USA Today.

The review is one of four included under the heading "Biographies probe power & passion that drive great men."

The other books reviewed are "Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power" by Jon Meacham, "The Man Who Saved the Union: Ulysses Grant in War & Peace" by H. W. Brands & "The Last Lion: Winston Spencer Churchill, Defender of the Realm, 1940-1965" by William Manchester & Paul Reid.

                    Joseph P. Kennedy
                    Colony Restaurant
                       New York City
                    November 1, 1940
                 Photo by Larry Gibson

The review of the Kennedy book begins with this assessment:

"David Nasaw disproves so many lurid tales about the Kennedy clan in this comprehensive & compelling bio of old Joe.

No, he wasn't a bootlegger, nor did he steal the state of Illinois so his son could become president."

Nasaw also, according to the review, claims that Gloria Swanson "wasn't the love of (Joe's) life" but one of the "hundreds of beautiful women" he knew.

While Nasaw describes Joe Kennedy, Sr. as a "brilliant businessman," he argues that he was unsuccessful as ambassador to Great Britain under FDR.

Deirdre Donahue concludes this brief review with these words:

"In this outstanding biography, (David Nasaw) captures the reality of one of America's most complicated & controversial figures."

*JFK+50 is spending a 2 day vacation in our state capital, Nashville.  The weather here is cool but promises to be a sunny day with a high of 56 degrees.